Lingering Stares and Something More
by missmadisonxoxo
Summary: Rebekah moves from New York to Mystic Falls to join her brother. She quickly becomes involved with neighbor next door (Matt), but as they realize how they feel for each other Rebekah learns that maybe her time spent in New York is not all that she remembers. When a person from her past comes for her she starts to remember things that seem impossible.
1. Chapter 1

Lingering Stares and Something More

**Authors Note: Hello! I am back with a brand new story. Let me know if it is worth continuing! Xoxo**

Chapter 1: First Impressions

**Rebekah POV**

I carried the last box and set it on the rug. The box was overflowing with magazines and books. My paperback copy of Harry Potter sat on top and a fashion magazine was crushed at the bottom. I peeked out of the window and saw my new neighbor Matt checking his mail. I hadn't seen him since high school. He looked kind of sexy in his sweatpants that bunched at his bare feet and his black t-shirt that was wrinkled from sleep. His hair was perfectly messy, and he yawned as he pulled out the white envelopes mixed in with colorful advertisements. He didn't look up as he sorted through the mail in his hand and walked back inside.

Even as I went through the many boxes stacked in my house, I could not get him out of my mind. I found myself periodically glancing out the window just hoping to see him again. Looking once again, I saw a girl with blonde hair and blue eyes walking out of the home. She pulled out keys and locked the door before opening the garage and getting in a car. She pulled out and I sighed. _Of course he isn't single._

I got another glimpse of him when he came outside to turn on his sprinkler. When he walked out, he wasn't wearing a shirt and I could see that he was perfectly defined. His muscles bulged as he turned the nozzle. He stood up again as the blonde pulled back into the garage. She walked up to him with a pep in her step, and began rambling on about something I couldn't make out. I could tell he was barely paying attention. He just nodded and smiled, and when she went inside the house he rolled his eyes and followed behind. _So maybe not a girlfriend…maybe a sister_.

I jumped when I heard someone walk into the house.

"What's wrong, sweetheart? A bit jumpy are we?" He mocked me.

"Oh shut up Nik!" I hit him with a rolled up fashion magazine and giggled.

He just chuckled and set his leather bag on the table next to door. I heard his keys clink when he tossed them into the bowl on the same table.

"I just didn't hear you drive up." I said matter-of-factly.

"I was just teasing you. That is what big brothers do." He smiled.

I swatted him again with the magazine that was still in my hand. He just smiled before walking into the back bedroom that he had claimed as his own. I let him shut the door before looking out the window to gawk again. When I turned my head I saw him staring at me from his yard through the window by the front door. I blushed when I realized he had caught me staring and quickly shut the blinds.

**Matt POV**

I had seen the new girl when she was carrying in the boxes. I desperately wanted to run out there and tell her that those boxes were much too heavy for her to carry and swoop in like a white night, but decided against it. _Okay maybe I had purposely walked out without a shirt just to see how she would react._ I felt like an idiot when Caroline had driven up and talked my ear off about some stupid party at the Grill. I felt worse when I glanced out the window and saw the cute blonde talking to someone else. A guy probably taller and honestly much better looking.

Although I couldn't hear what they were saying, I saw her smile. She had the most beautiful smile I had ever seen. I craved to hear her laugh, something probably just as beautiful as the rest of her. When she saw me looking at her I noticed her cheeks turning a shade of bright pink, and she shut the blinds abruptly. I sort of guessed that I wasn't the only one who had noticed the new neighbor across the street and I smiled.

Caroline walked out in a couple dresses and got angry when I didn't pick one.

"Honestly Care, they all look the same."

"They are completely different! The first one was bright coral, the second one was melon, and the third one was rose! All completely different colors and designs!"

She huffed as she walked back into her room and cursed the fact that I wasn't born a girl.

She was actually dragging me to this party. Apparently the person throwing it was sort of a celebrity and had invited her. I didn't recognize the name, 'Niklaus Mikaelson' but I guess he was throwing a party for his sister that was new to town.

As the sky darkened, Caroline dragged me to the car and pushed me into the front seat.

"Do I really have to go?" I whined, only half joking.

She smiled her bright grin and answered bubbly, "Of course! Come on Matty it will be fun!"

I just rolled my eyes and stared out the window. When we pulled out of the garage I saw the new neighbor and her guy friend walking down their driveway. Caroline squealed in a high pitch.

"That's Niklaus Mikaelson! You know, the one who's party we are going to?" She smiled as she pulled over and rolled down my window to speak to them.

"Fancy seeing you here," Niklaus said with a smile on his face. He obviously liked my sister. He was exactly the kind of guy I would expect her to fall for. He was wearing dark pants and a shirt that was buttoned too low. Necklaces dangled off of his neck as a bent down to make eye contact with Caroline.

"I guess we are neighbors!" Caroline said way too excitedly. "We were just on our way to the party, would you like a ride?"

"That would be lovely." He said much too contently. I didn't like him.

**Rebekah POV**

I smiled as Nik introduced me to him.

"This is my sister, Rebekah. She is new to town so I thought that this party would help her get acquainted with the locals."

The blonde girl spoke up, "I'm Caroline and this is my brother Matt. Nice to meet you, Rebekah."

Nik and I slid into the backseat. No one said anything for a few moments, but the awkward silence was broken when Caroline spoke.

"So where are you from, Rebekah?" She questioned me.

"I have been in New York. I moved there to go to college after high school and fell in love with the city. Have you ever been to New York?" I questioned Matt.

"I have never been anywhere," He said glumly. Before the filter between my brain and mouth kicked in I eagerly said, "Maybe I could take you."

The silence dragged on after my awkward outburst. I could almost hear Nik's teasing smirk. I stealthily kicked him in the shin and mentally threw a string of curse words his way. When we pulled up to the Grill Caroline practically sprinted into the party.

"Sorry about that. She is just such a kid at heart." Matt muttered, embarrassed.

I could tell that he was throwing that comment at Nik, who had not taken his eyes off the young blonde. If I had to guess, I would say that Caroline was twenty five. So maybe it was not fair that Matt, who was about twenty seven, was calling Caroline a kid. Of course he was her big brother, and I know Nik does the same to me. I was twenty six and Nik was twenty eight and often referred to me as a 'little girl' or 'child'. I guess it was just a brother thing, but I still chuckled a little.

"No worries, I thought it was adorable," Nik mumbled.

I could tell he was pissing Matt off the way 'adorable' rolled off of his tongue, so I changed the subject quickly.

"Isn't this supposed to be a surprise party?" I questioned Nik.

"Yes, so don't let your time in drama school go to waste, sweetheart," He joked.

I just smiled in response. When I got out of the car, I turned too quickly and ended up bumping heads with Matt.

"Ouch!" I muttered.

"Sorry, Rebekah," He groaned, rubbing his skull in discomfort.

"I'm such a klutz," I said quickly, nervously chuckling to lighten the situation.

I hoped he couldn't hear the embarrassment in my voice. I guess he saw my blush because he looked at me with his big blue tender eyes.

"Hey, don't worry about." He whispered, his voice sweet.

I had a hard time not melting under his gaze and I had to force myself not to smile. When I had gathered my purse from the ground he hooked his elbow through mine, and we walked into the party together. I knew somehow that my life would change in that moment. Whether positively or negatively, I was unsure, but I knew I was ready to find out. I finally looked at him as we walked and flashed him a grin. Then something happened...he smiled right back with not an ounce of hesitation.


	2. Starry Night Sky and a Cold Breeze

Lingering Stares and Something More

**Authors Note**

**Hello my lovelies! Big thanks to my AMAZING beta, Throughmysoul44! She is an incredible writer, so check out her stories! Review with ideas, or constructive criticism, or anything really! I love seeing your feedback! Xoxo**

Chapter 2:

Matt POV:

The awkward silence filled up the air, only disrupted by a small comment or two made. Caroline sat next to Nik and I was next to Rebekah. I was planning on sitting next to my sister, but Nik had slid into the booth before I had had the chance. When Rebekah wasn't looking, I would sneak a glance at her. She looked beautiful in her simple but hot red dress. It stopped just before her knees and had no sleeves. I'm sure Care would have raved about the 'sweetheart-neckline' or something but all I could see was how her tall black heels made her legs go on for miles.

The loud, dance music filled the Grill and I could tell that Caroline was itching to dance. She kept looking around the Grill, and at all the people near the live band.

"Okay, I was trying to be patient, but I really want to dance! Anyone up for it?" Caroline asked impatiently.

"Sorry Care, I'm not much of dancer." I mumbled.

"I would love to dance, sweetheart." Nik said, rolling sweetheart off of his tongue. I tried not to roll my eyes. Caroline squealed and grabbed his arm, dragging him to the dance floor. I heard Rebekah chuckle faintly. I looked at her and smiled.

"You want to get out of here?" I asked more bravely than I usually am.

Her blue eyes widened and I realized the way I had sounded.

"No I mean, what I meant was…geez I'm sorry, what I meant was do you want to take a walk? There is something I want to show you…" I stuttered nervously, having lost all of my confidence in my question.

"Yeah, sure." She said sweetly. I stood swinging my arm through hers, and lead her out of the Grill.

When we past Nik and Care I saw him leaning in to kiss her. I was about to intervene when I heard a loud smack and she walked away, shaking her hand. I silently chuckled and relief washed over me. When I looked back at Nik he was standing still, his eyes opened wide. He smiled and watched her appraisingly as she stormed off. I couldn't stop myself from rolling my eyes.

When we stepped outside the cold breeze hit us like a brick wall. Rebekah shivered, so I slipped off my jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. She smiled and continued to walk down the empty street. We came across an empty bench and sat down, probably closer than normal. The metal was cold but we were sitting so close, that the heat from our bodies were keeping us warm.

"Look at all those stars." I muttered. She immediately looked up and smiled wide.

"There are not views like this in New York." She whispered, still amazed at how many stars you could see. The moon lit up the whole street, and the stars sparkled brightly.

"Yeah, it's the second most beautiful view in Mystic Falls." I said smoothly.

"Did you make that up on your own?" She asked me teasingly.

"Nah, I saw it in a movie once." She laughed. I was right, she had the most beautiful laugh, but it did not compare to the way her eyes sparkled brighter than the stars, as she gazed upward. She leaned back, so that her head was resting softly against my chest. Her head moved up each time I took a breath. We sat there for what felt like hours, just looking up at the stars. The silence wasn't awkward though, it was just peaceful.

Later That Night:

Caroline and I opened the door and as I sat on the couch, she went to her room to change out of her dress. She came back out in gray sweatpants and a loose t-shirt. She had thrown her hair into a bun and I felt her plop on the couch next to me. I was lost in thought, so she decided it would be a good idea to sock me in the arm.

"Ouch, Care!" I said teasingly. She smiled.

"So what did you think?" Her eyes opened wide and I saw a hint of nervousness in them. She crossed her legs and faced me.

"About what?" I asked tiredly.

"About Nik, Rebekah, about the night." She attempted to use puppy dog eyes to make me talk, but I stopped her.

"I am not dad, and we are not kids. Those eyes won't work anymore." She gave me a fake pouty smile before continuing her thought,

"Do you like Rebekah?"

"She seems nice…" My voice trailed off, and I could not find a way to describe the way I felt about her.

"Oh, come on! I saw the way you looked at each other!" The conversation was going the wrong way, so I changed the subject.

"What was going on between you and Nik?" I questioned her.

"He tried to kiss me, so I slapped him." She said flatly, as if it was no big deal.

"Care to continue?" I asked her.

"I simply told him that I was not that type of girl." She finished.

"And what did he say?" I asked her exasperated.

"He said that it would be an honor to win my affections." He eyes looked up and she got lost in the thought for a bit, before continuing.

"And I told him that I was too smart to be seduced by him." Her smile was proud, and I started to rethink her thought process.

Rebekah POV:

I changed out of my dress and threw on some striped pj shorts with a purple tank top. When I walked out into the living room, Nik was sitting on the chair, still in his dress clothes. When he sensed my presence he spoke.

"She is magnificent." His voice was low, but I could tell her really liked her. I just rolled my eyes and smiled.

"Well of course you think that. She is the first girl who didn't drop her panties for you, the second you looked at her." My brother truly liked a challenge, so I knew his infatuation with her would not last long.

"Do not speak about her like that." His voice turned into a growl.

"Fine, fine." I held up my hands as if to say sorry without actually saying anything.

I found myself thinking about Matt as I laid in bed that night. The way he ran his fingers through his hair, or the way his blue eyes shined brighter then all of the stars combined. I drifted off to sleep thinking about the sound of his breathing when I rested my head on him.

I awoke with a start. I had been having a bad dream about him, about Mikael. I tried to shake off the feeling of my impending doom, and instead day dreamed about Matt. I waved hello to him as we got our mail, and I watched when he came out to mow his lawn. He was wearing blue jeans and lazy eyes, but nothing else. His muscles tightened and I sighed, wishing I could run my fingers across his chest. He ran his fingers through his hair before going inside again. Building my confidence I invited Caroline to go shopping with me. I needed a dress for Nik's art show, and being new to town did not have many friends. The blonde bombshell eagerly agreed. We drove all the way across town, to my favorite shop. The small boutique was known for its beautiful dresses.

I tried on a couple. The first had a pink bust with black lace, and flowed into a pale pink tulle skirt. Another was light green, and the silky material flowed down to the ground. I finally decided on a one strap dress, that was white and black streaks running through the skirt. Caroline, having been invited by Nik himself, picked out a yellow dress, pearls entwined with the feature of the dress. It flowed out towards the bottom.

When I took Caroline home, I worked up the nerve to give Matt my number. He thanked me and then as I walked out I heard Caroline complain about me.

"God, she has so much money you could swim in it! She insisted on paying for my dress, claiming she had enough money to share! What a snob!"

I gritted my teeth and forced myself to walk away, consoled by the fact that Matt had not agreed with her.

"She was just trying to be nice, Care!"


	3. Just a Kiss on Your Lips in the Moonligh

Lingering Stares and Something More

**Authors Note: Super thanks to my amazing beta, throughmysoul44! Without her I would be lost!**

Chapter: Just a Kiss On Your Lips in the Moonlight

**Rebekah POV**

The sunlight shined through my window and I basked in the glow of the morning warmth. I rolled to my side and found comfort in my early morning haze. It had been a few days since I had talked to Matt, but surprisingly I wasn't worried. Even when we didn't talk for a couple weeks, the way he looked at me reassured me that he wasn't losing interest. His eyes lit up when I walked in the room, and he always made me feel like the only one in the whole world. I still felt the touch of his lips on mine, and I thought about when he had first worked up the nerve to kiss me.

_The four of us were eating dinner at the Grill. Caroline and Nik were slow dancing to a song I didn't know, and I felt happy for them but Matt and I had agreed we were not the dancing type. He directed his grin towards me and spoke._

"_Want to take a walk?" His voice was much steadier than the first time he had asked me, and I nodded. _

_We stood at the same time and he hooked his arm through mine. Taking walks in the moonlight had become something we did every time we went out together. Each time he asked, I felt the butterflies fluttering in my stomach. I kept waiting for the time when his words wouldn't have that affect on me but they always did and part of me hoped that it stayed that way. Just as we made it outside I noticed the clouds that had gathered, partially blocking the moon._

"_It looks like it might start raining. Should we go back inside or risk it?" I asked cautiously, secretly hoping he wouldn't take us back into the building._

"_Risk it, definitely." He answered without hesitation. I smiled wide._

_I didn't respond, instead I started walking towards the empty street, preparing to cross it. He caught up to me when I got closer towards the middle and held my hand as he stood next to me. I paused my walking and looked into his big blue yes. He smiled, reassuring me that he wanted to be here with me._

"_You're pretty incredible, you know that?" I asked him bravely._

"_So I've heard," He said cockily. "You're pretty great too." His grin was big and his eyes switched from looking into mine, to looking at my lips._

_I watched as he slowly leaned in, closer to my face. I didn't respond at first, and I think it made him question himself. He started to pull back, not being able to get far because I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him for a kiss. His lips were soft and cautious but as I encouraged him he became braver and he deepened the kiss. I never wanted it to end, but as the rain drops started to fall we both looked up into the now dark grey clouds, listening to the loud clap of thunder._

_I leaned into his chest and he wrapped his arms around me. I felt my feet lift from the ground as he picked me up and swung me around in a circle. Rain drops hit my face as I extended my arms and started giggling. He dropped me on my feet before picking me up again and tossing me over his shoulder before walking towards the Grill. I laughed until my stomach started to hurt, wiggling out of his grasp. We were suddenly standing on the sidewalk. He leant down to kiss me again and I didn't resist. _

"_You have the most beautiful laugh." His voice was low and he stared deeply into my eyes. I couldn't think of anything to say back so I kissed him again. It was short but sweet; when we broke apart I started up towards the Grill._

"_Come on, your sister and Nik will be worried. For all they know we could have been attacked by a bear!" I joked playfully. _

_I walked a few feet before feeling his hands around my waist. At first I thought it was sweet but then I felt the tickling. I laughed hard, as I tried to swat away his hands. I attempted to run but slipped, falling into his arms. I looked up at him, all seriousness gone from my eyes._

"_It's Mystic Falls. Nothing bad ever happens here." His voice was slow._

"_Don't say that! You might jinx it!" He chuckled at my seriousness._

"_Superstitious are we?" He asked me curiously. "You can never be too careful!" I answered back._

_He lifted me to my feet. I began walking again but found myself not wanting the moment to end. In a feeble attempt to keep him in the rain longer, I turned around and tapped him lightly on the shoulder._

"_Tag, you're it!" My voice was playful and I started to sprint towards the trees around the side of the quaint building. I heard his heavy footsteps behind me. As I turned my head to look at him I ran into someone. When I turned around again I saw Nik standing there._

"_What are you, twelve? You're all wet." His voice was condescending and it irritated me, but I was on cloud nine and nothing was knocking me down._

I yawned as I stretched my arms out. Tonight was Nik's art show and of course he had invited Caroline and Matt. I already had my dress, so all I had to do was wait until six o'clock. The show was at seven and I knew if I started to get ready now, like I wanted to, I would be sitting in my dress for hours. I glanced at the clock and it was already twelve thirty.

The time didn't surprise me because I had been up late talking on the phone with Matt. We spoke about our childhoods and our likes and dislikes. It never ceased to amaze me how much we had in common. It was incredible talking to him. For the first time I felt like I might actually love him. The thought frightened me but not the kind of fear you might expect. I was scared that something would come along to ruin it. I knew he felt the same way, or at least I hoped.

The minutes stretched on and I swear I could feel my own hair growing. I decided to get out of the house and grab a late lunch. I was tempted to invite Caroline, but welcomed the peace that came with being alone. I walked down the street humming to the song I had heard on the radio.

The donut shop which served the best banana and walnut muffins became visible when I turned the corner. I took a shortcut through the alley, moments before walking back into the daylight. It all happened so suddenly, and I felt a hand clasp around my mouth, my body being dragged into the shadows.

**Matt POV**

The art show had started about an hour ago and Rebekah still wasn't here. I gulped down the rest of my bourbon and decided to leave. If she was coming she would have been here already. I wasn't angry, maybe a little worried, but definitely not angry. Something probably came up and I understood how it felt to have to bail the last second, but it was a little strange that she had blown off her own brother's art show, not even bothering to call.

I started towards her house, hoping she was there. When I heard screams coming from the old abandoned church, I instantaneously recognized the distorted voice as Rebekah's, feeling my heart stop inside my chest. I sprinted inside, the doors flying open before me. I saw Rebekah tied to a chair and I scrambled to fathom what I was witnessing.

"Matt!" Her voice was desperate and worried, but also relieved. I ran over to her and began tying to untie the rope.

"Don't bother." The voice was low and I didn't recognize it.

I turned and found the source. He was about as tall as me with brownish hair and green eyes. I continued to struggle with the ropes until I was forced against the wall by a hand clasped around my throat. The man looked into my eyes before speaking again.

"I said stop. Sit against this wall and don't move or make a sound." His voice was calm, but forceful. I found myself listening against my will. I slid down the wall until I was sitting and waited for him to say something else.

"What did you do to him?" Rebekah asked nervously.

"Oh just a little compulsion, but I guess you wouldn't remember that seeing how my brother took those memories from you."

Rebekah just looked at him as if he had six heads. Before she could question him, he continued.

"I am actually glad you are here Matt. I wanted to talk to you, too." His voice was vicious and his eyes were cruel. I couldn't find the strength to say anything and Rebekah was just as lost-looking as I was.

"See, while you were here playing house with my girl, I was fighting off my malicious brother and then searching all of Virginia for her. She doesn't really love you. My brother compelled her to go back to her home and find a nice, normal guy to settle down with and forget all about me, Elena, and vampires!" He had a crazed look in his eyes and I was starting to believe he was crazy.

"Vampires? You're insane!" Rebekah screamed at him.

"You may think that now, but when you get your memories back you will remember."

"And how exactly do you plan to give me my 'memories' back," She asked sarcastically.

"Oh I'm just going to feed you my blood and then kill you." His voice was flat as if he were stating obvious.

"You're crazy!" She yelled.

"You will be singing a different tune when you experience transition."

He walked calmly over to her and bit into his wrist before shoving it into her mouth. Blood dripped down her chin and she struggled to fight him. In the end he won and snapped her neck right in front of me. I tried to cry out, but I couldn't. I found my mind shutting down and my eyes having a hard time staying open as the hours passed. Rebekah took in a deep breath as she woke up.

Her eyes searched the room before she spoke...just one word.

"Stefan!"


	4. Everything He Made Me Forget

Lingering Stares and Something More

**Authors Note:**

**I just want to say thank you for everyone who has left a review, and for those who haven't please do! Your feedback is inspirational and I really appreciate it! Once again I must thank my lovely beta, throughmysoul44! Without her I would hardly be readable! This chapter is mostly Rebekah's memories that she now remembers because of her transition.**

Chapter 4: Everything he Made Me Forget

**Rebekah POV: Two Years Ago**

_The sky was dark and I was walking towards my small apartment, right across from campus. I had just finished a late night study session at the huge library. Well maybe I had gotten lost in a new book, and studying hadn't been on my mind as much as it should have been. I turned the corner, the library disappearing behind me._

_I noticed how bright the stars were and I couldn't help but stop to appreciate them. The stars had always fascinated me, even as a little girl. I was brought from my thoughts by a loud noise. A crash came from the dark alleyway. My curiosity drew me towards the strip between a small bank and a large grocery store._

_At first I didn't see anything but soon a large figure approached me. I could've sworn he had a dead rat in his hand! Blood was smeared across his face. He looked at me hesitantly, surprised I hadn't run away screaming I guess._

"_Wh-what are you doing?" My voice came out shaky and I silently cursed myself for losing my courage so quickly. _

_I wasn't afraid. Well at least that's what I told myself. I took this moment of silence to size him up. He was maybe an inch taller than me. His darkish blonde hair was cut short and his green eyes shined through the blackness of the night. He was beautiful._

"_You're not afraid?" His voice was confused._

"_You didn't answer my question." I tried to keep my voice steady and calm but it came out as a stutter. His eyes were wide with amazement and as I tried to keep my head high he went on to answer._

"_I have never met a human who hasn't run away in fear. You are handling it different than anyone I have ever seen. It's quite fascinating actually." The way he said 'human' sent shivers down my spine. _

_My facade was fading quickly and I could feel my fear creeping in. The initial shock of seeing someone eating a rat was beginning to wear off._

"_Are you implying that you are not human?" I tried to hide my fear but it felt like his eyes could see right through me._

"_Are you implying that you are not scared?" His voice was surprisingly warm and humorous._

**A Month Later**

_My head rested on Stefan's shoulder. The movie was playing quietly in the background but the talking was our main focus._

"_Twilight," I said giggly. The lightness of the air made me feel like I was on a cloud._

"_What? No way would I have never guessed you for a 'twihard'."_

"_Hey, you're the one who asked for my favorite book! If you don't want to know, don't ask," I said, playfully teasing him._

"_Sparkling vampires? Really?" He asked._

"_Hey, don't knock it till you try it," I laughed._

_Before he could respond there was a loud knocking on the door. I followed Stefan, just as curious as he was. The door opened and his face turned a ghostly shade of white. Before I could question him the stranger spoke._

"_Hello, brother." The man had dark hair and piercing blue eyes. When his glance wondered towards me I shivered. My eyes traveled from the man to the brunette beside him. She had long brown hair and chocolate eyes._

"_Damon." Stefan hadn't seemed to notice the girl until a few seconds later._

"_Katherine." His voice had more shock the second time._

"_Sorry Stefan. But sadly this is not our deceased lover. This is Elena." His voice was bored._

"_Stefan, who is this?" I questioned anxiously._

"_Oh I am so sorry, my brother is so rude," Damon smirked as he walked past us, dragging Elena with him._

"_Brother? Stefan didn't tell me he had a brother?" I tried to hide the aggravation from my voice._

"_Well Stefan's not one to brag." His voice was smooth and he winked. _

_Elena gave him a dirty looked and softly slapped him on his chest. She turned towards me and offered me her hand._

"_Hi, I'm Elena." Her voice was kind and I was confused. _

_I could cut the tension between Damon and Stefan with a knife, and I was still a bit skeptical of the whole 'brother' thing. I gently squeezed Elena's hand._

"_I'm Rebekah." We made eye contact and she gave me a look, which if I had to guess, meant 'I am sorry for barging in, Damon is compulsive and I know he is sometimes rude'. I may not have had vampire hearing but I could hear the low conversation between Damon and Stefan._

"_How is this even possible?" Stefan's voice was angry, but I couldn't understand why._

"_Wow, I forgot to mention everything that has happened since I returned to Mystic Falls, didn't I? Well long story short, Elena is Katherine's doppelganger, we are in love, and she kept bugging me about wanting to know you. Oh, before you ask, yes she knows about us, Katherine, and pretty much every supernatural being out there." I could sense the cockiness in Damon's voice and I decided that I didn't like him, not one little bit._

**Almost Two Years Later**

_I was a bit worried when Stefan blew off our coffee date. I walked into the house that both brothers and Elena now shared. When I walked into the living room I couldn't believe my eyes._

"_You bitch!" I screamed, drawing attention from Stefan and Elena making out on the couch. _

_I scanned the table only finding alcohol and a letter opener…perfect. I snatched the semi sharp object from the table and ran towards the cheating bitch. When Elena saw my intention she hopped up from the couch and began backing away, holding her hands out defensively._

"_Wait, Rebekah!" She backed up until she was pressed against the wall._

_I reached her in seconds and had the letter opener at her throat in an instant. Just as I was about to slice her petite neck I was thrown against the opposite wall. Pain spread throughout my body and I groaned._

"_What the hell are you doing?" Damon screamed at me._

"_Were you going to kill her?" His voice sounded unstable and I suddenly became afraid of him. I had never seen him this angry._

"_Don't you touch her!" Stefan screamed._

"_Oh, what do you care?" I asked viciously._

_Damon walked quickly over to me with purpose in his eyes._

"_You were going to kill her." It wasn't a question._

"_Well I'm not giving you another chance." His voice was cold._

"_Damon, get away from her!" Stefan yelled. _

_Stefan started to walk up to us but Damon turned around and punched him in the jaw, maliciously breaking one of his legs moments later. The snap was loud and I screamed._

"_Don't hurt him! Leave him alone!" Fat tears were running down my cheeks and I tried to block Stefan's screams. _

_I attempted to approach my love but Damon wrapped his fingers around my neck and pushed me back against the wall._

"_Let go of her!" Stefan screamed as he tried to correct his leg. _

_Elena stood against the other wall, trying to verbally calm Damon down and failing miserably. Damon's eyes bore into mine for a second. He looked at Stefan again._

"_Oops almost forgot the vervain." He proceeded to rip my vervain necklace from my neck and I realized his intention._

"_You bastard! Get away from her!" Stefan screamed, still struggling with his leg._

_Damon ignored the insult and turned his eyes back at me._

"_You will forget about Stefan. You will forget about me, Elena, and all of the supernatural. You will quit school and go back home. You will meet a nice, normal boy and you will fall in love. You will live your life and never return to New York. And even though your life will seem perfect, you will always feel like something missing and it will haunt you everyday of your life. You will not remember the love you had for Stefan, and if you ever see him again you will be terrified. He will disgust you. Leave now."_

_I walked out of the room without a second thought._

**Present Day Mystic Falls**

"Stefan!" I stared at the man in front of me and no longer saw the disgusting monster I had seen at first.

I saw the love of my life who knew me better than anyone else. I saw the late night conversations and I saw the caring person I knew he was. My brain then registered Matt, who was sitting against the wall. I smelt the blood before I saw it. His head had large gash in it and I found it hard to remain still.

"Go ahead Rebekah, feed. You need human blood to complete the transition. After that I can teach you to feed on animals. We can be happy together, for eternity." His voice was pleading and desperate.

I quickly rushed to the opposite wall and gripped it for support.

"I would never hurt Matt!" I yelled, almost convincing myself.

Stefan had once explained the bloodlust to me, but now that it was staring me in the face I wasn't sure I could handle it. The smell was enticing and I hated to admit it but I wanted to rip Matt's head off and drain him dry. The only thing stopping me was the thought of his body lifeless, cold, and empty. I forced myself to look away from the blood and up at Stefan's face.

"Please don't make this difficult, Rebekah." I flinched at the coldness of his voice.

"What happened to you Stefan? You used to be so sweet and caring. You loved me, why would you do something to hurt me? It's not my fault that I forgot about you, but I will never forgive you if Matt gets hurt." The words just flowed from my mouth, and I meant every single one of them.

I looked at Matt, and I saw fear in his eyes. But past the fear I saw how hurt he was. I tried to comfort him with my eyes, because I honestly didn't know what to say.

"You have to realize that I have waited two years for you, so excuse the hell out of me if I wasn't overjoyed to see you in love with someone else. But then I thought to myself, if I could take away Damon's compulsion you would realize that you never actually loved him. You love me." His voice was quiet.

As he finished his speech he walked over to me and bent down on one knee, so that he was at my level. His hand went under my chin, as he gently but forcefully lifted my face to look him in the eye.

"Don't you remember?" I took his vulnerability as an opportunity to spit in his face. When the saliva landed on his cheek he looked like he wanted to hit me, but he restrained himself.

"You are not thinking straight because you have not fed. You will love me again, I promise." His voice was calm, too calm.

I screamed when I realized he was walking towards Matt.

"Please, just don't hurt Matt! It's not his fault, he didn't do anything!" Stefan stopped dead in his tracks.

"Give me one reason I shouldn't kill him. Convince me that he won't come between our love and I will spare him," He challenged me.

I realized what he was asking and I knew the only thing I could do to keep Matt safe was to let him go. I blinked back tears, trying to stand as steadily as I could manage and walked over to Stefan, trying to ignore Matt completely. I broke my concentration and glanced at Matt. I wordlessly apologized for what I had to do next.

"Why would Matt come between us? I love you, silly." I tried to smile, but it turned into more of a grimace. I wanted to throw up. Stefan's eyes widened but not as much as Matt's.

"Nice try, Bekah. You are going to have to do a little bit better than that."

I panicked. Before I could change my mind I leaned forward and kissed him. I tried to convincingly wrap my arms around his neck and pretend like I was enjoying myself. I pulled back and tried to look adoringly into his eyes.

"Nice to have you back. I told you that you loved me, you just took a little convincing." I grimaced at the 'L' word.

I smiled unconvincingly, but he didn't notice. He already loved me like it was yesterday that we had been separated. I nodded quickly before glancing down at Matt.

"Go ahead Rebekah, have a taste," Stefan said darkly. "You will die if you don't."

I felt a single dear slip down my cheek. I nodded and quickly wiped my tear away. I walked over to Matt and gently grabbed his hand and pulled him up so he was standing.

"I am so sorry, Matt," I whispered while my hand lingered across his cheek. As gently as I could I bent his neck and pierced it with my fangs.

It tasted of the sweetest wine and most savory steak. I faintly heard a pumping noise and I realized that Matt's heart was slowing. I reluctantly dropped him to the floor.

"He will bleed to death if we leave him here!" I begged Stefan.

"Fine, fine…" He said exasperated. He walked over to him and bit into his own wrist. At first the blood just flowed down Matt's neck but unexpectedly he started to drink the sticky substance.

I felt disgusting as I felt Matt's blood drip off my face, but I was afraid that if I wiped it off too quickly, Stefan would see right through my ruse.

"Now, Rebekah, how about we go home?" He said excitedly.

I gave him a confused look so he continued. "In New York, of course!"

I followed him as he walked past Matt and out the door. Before I left the building completely I whispered, "Goodbye Matt." His eyes stirred one last time before he passed out completely,

"I love you Rebekah, and I will find you." His voice was quiet and strained. Without my vampire hearing I would not have been able to understand him.

When I stepped into Stefan's getaway car I couldn't help but already miss all that I was leaving behind. I wiped the tear away before it had a chance to slide across my cheek. Stefan reached across the middle console and gripped my hand in his. His comforting gesture did nothing to ease my troubled mind.

I tried to convince myself that this was for the best. I was a vampire now and even if Stefan wasn't here, it would be selfish to put this on all Matt. I never considered myself selfish, but the dominant part of my mind was screaming not to leave him, vampire or no vampire. As we pulled away from the curb, I felt Matt's blood drip down my chin again. I almost screamed when I remembered what I had done.

It's a good thing that I didn't have to breathe because even if my life depended on it, I don't think I could have.


End file.
